Binder.



No. 736,482. 5 I .PATENTED AUG. 18, 1903.

W. E. BLAGKBURN'& G.'H. SWARTWOUT.

BINDER.

APPIJIOATION FILED DEC. 13, 1902: H0 MODEL.

H6. 2. w T

, made very simple keyhole,

UNllED STATES Patented August 18, 1963 PATENT FIG WILMUTH E. BLACKBURN AND GEORGE- H. sWARTwou'r, OF'NEW YORK, N. Y. l.

BINDER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart'of. Letters Patent No. 736,482, dated-August 18, 1903. p I

Application filed December 13, 1902- erial1m 185035. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it knownthat we, WILMUTH E. BLACK- BURN and GEORGE H. Swnnrwour, citizens of the United States, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Imprbvements in-Binders, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention aims to provide certain improvements in binders adapted-specially to the binding of separate loose leaves which are to be'withdrawn or added to at will, such as are commonly called loose-leaf lodgers, or other books or temporary binders.

Our invention aims to provide improvementsin this class of binders whereby the binder is made very durable and the opera tion of inserting or withdrawing leaves is other advantages, tail, are obtained.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, illustrating an embodiment of our invention, Figure lis a plan of the same in use, the cover and bookproper being cut away. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the chambered members with itscov er and the book-cover removed, so as to show the operative parts therein. Fig. dis a transverse section on the line 4 i of Fig. 1, showing a key in position for separating or adjusting the ends of the cord. Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged views' of hereinafter specified in de the portions of the rack-bars adjacent to the showing two successive positions of the key.

Our invention is adapted for use in binding leaves having simple perforations near their edge or having any other common or suitable structure to permit of their engagement by the cord or equivalent flexible element which we use to bind them together. These leaves are held together b means of members on their upper and lower sides, re spectively, and these members are drawn and held together by means of the cord referred to, so as to hold the leaves tightly between them. Preferably the cord is in twopie'ces, each of which is connected at one end to one of the members and at its other end to one of two rack-bars arranged in the other member Preferably the cords,

yieldingly held taut by a suit and easy and whereby also.

of the chamber,

of the binder,facing each other and'normally held in mesh with each other so as to hold the ends of said cords together, it being necessary to separate these rackars in or-i 'der to adjust the ends of the cord'relatively to each other and so vary the thickness of the book. Preferably thev parts are so arat one operation.

the rackbars and to give them a relative longitudinal movement besides thepositive ad: justment, are able spring, which permitsthem to yield and accommodate a bundle of leaves of slightlyvarying thickness. Were only the positive adj ust-ment provided it would be diflicult to clamp with equal firmness bundles of leaves the thickness of which varied by an amount less than a step of the positive adjustment;

-but with the additional, spring adjustment provided by our invention the leaves maybe clamped withsubst-antially equal firmness in allcases. I

' Referring now to the .embodiment'of the invention illustrated in thedrawings, Figure 1 shows at A what for the sake of distinction we call the upper member of the binder, which extends transversely along the inner margin of the leaves and'which preferably edge with a flexible portion 0. The opposite orlower memberD of the binder is provided-witha similar book-cover. The leaves E are clamped between the upper and carries-a stiff cover B, provided near its rear (See Fig. 4..)

lower members A and D, the latter being held together by-means of cords F, each of which is connected at one end to the memberA in a manner hereinafter explained, passes thro ugh.

perforations G in the leaves and similar pertwo members together or for separating the ends to permit of the withdrawal of leaves or the addition of more leaves.

The lower ends of the cords Fare attached.- to rack-bars J, arranged facing eachotherin the chamber H and pressed toward eachbther" by s rings K, bearing against the sidewalls so that ordinaril y the; saga 9c forations in the'upper and lower members of v the binder and into a chamberH in the lower member,'where they are provided with means or drawing the ends together. to clamp the with a set of teeth L of one in engagement with an identical set of teeth on the other. Besides the teeth L the rack-bars J are provided with another set of teeth M, preferably of the same proportions as the teeth L, but offset a distance backward from said teeth L, as illustrated most clearly in Fig. 4. The teeth M are provided for .engagement with a key N of substantially cross shape, which enters through ahole, O in the outer face of the member D. The rack-bars ordinarily will stand in the position shown in Fig. 5. The key K may then be introduced between the teeth M in the position shown. If new the key be turned in the direction of the hands of a clock to the position of Fig. 6, the two rack-bars J are thereby separated and by the continued movement of the key are moved longitudinally relatively to each other a. distance of one tooth, when the key again takes the position of Fig. 5 and the parts are interlocked. The rotation ofthe key may of course be continued in the same direction to move the parts through any desired distance.

The upper member Act the binder is provided ,with two small chambers P of the shape shown in Fig. 1 for the reception of spiral I springs Q and fasteners R,attached to the ends of the cords F.

These springs Q serve a double purpose. They permit of a slight increase or diminution of the number of leaves without 7 the necessity of altering the operative length of the cord by one complete tooth of the rackbar, as previously explained. They also serve when the cord is lengthened to force the. fasteners R out of their cham her or socket in the "member A, so that they can be taken hold of.

The fastener B. can then be turned and shoved endwise through the spring Q, or, what is the:

same thing, the upper member A and its cover may be lifted and additional leaves added. The fastener B may be threaded through the leaves in the same way that it is threaded through the spring Q-that is to say, by turning it so that it lies alongside the end of the cord. The fastener comprises a long bar pivotally attached to the cord at an intermediate point of its length, so that when drawn through the member A it may be turned transversely of the cord and drawn down into the chamber B across the spring and against the resistance thereof. The construction of this fastener admirably adapts it for leaves which have a simple perforation near the edge and which are easily and cheaply obtained or which may be easily perforated by hand.

The chambers in the members A and D of the binder and in which the adjusting means are carried-the positive adjusting means in one and the spring adjsstmentsin the other-- are covered by means of plates S, preferably of metal, between which and the members referred to the edges '1 of the book-covers B'are' fastened. This construction is very simple and at the same time very strong and makes the meiii'bers A and D substantially permanent parts of the covers of the book. They may, however, be used without any covers whatever or with a cover on only one member.

The means for separatingand moving the rack-bars is not necessarily a removable key, as shown, but may be' a permanent part of the device.

Various other modifications of thespecific embodiment of our invention disclosed may be made in the details and in the arrangement and combination of the parts withoutdeparture from the invention.

We claim as our invention- 1. A binder comprising in combination cords or the like for holding together the leaves to be bound, rack-bars connected to free ends of said cords, means for normally holding said rack-bars in mesh with each other ,to hold the ends of said cords together, and means for separating said rack-bars to permit relative adjustment of the ends of said cords.

2.. A binder comprising in combination cords or the like for holding together the leaves to be bound, rack-bars connected to free ends of said'cords, means for normally holding said rack-bars in mesh with each other to hold the ends of said cords together, and a keyfor separating said rack-bars and moving them longitudinally relatively to each other.

3. A binder comprising in combination top and bottom members, cords or the like for holding them together, a pair of rack-bars in one of said'members longitudinally adjustable, springs pressing said rack-bars toward each other to hold them in mesh and to hold the ends of said cords together, an additional row of teeth carried by each of said rack-bars and facing each other, a k'ey'adapted to enter between said additional rows of teeth and upon being turned to separate said rack-bars and move them longitudinally relatively to each other.

4. In a hinder, the combination of top and bottom members, a cord having a free end, a fastener on said end adapted to pass through the leaves to be bound, a spring carried by one of said members for holding said cord taut and permitting it to yield to accommodate a varying number of leaves, and ,means carried by the other of said members for positively adjusting the operative length of said cord from its opposite end.

5. In a hinder; the combination of a member extending transversely along the inner margin of the .leaves to be bound, a cord passing through said member, a spring carried by said member holding said cord taut, a fastener on the end of said cord against which said spring hears, said fastener being adapted to be released from said spring to 1 lding said members together,rack-bars con- I nected to free ends of said cords, meansfor normally holding said rack-bars in mesh with each other to hold the ends of said cords together, means for separating said rack-bars to permit a positive relative adjustment of the ends of said cords, and springs acting to hold said cords taut so as to accommodate .a 5 "varying number of leaves.

7 A binder comprising in combination cords or 'the like forholding together the leaves to be bound, a spring for holding said cords taut, means for holding the-ends of :0 said cords locked against movement, and means for unlocking, positively adjusting and relocking said ends at one operation. 8.,A binder comprising top and bottom members one of which has an aperture, a cord :5 for holding the same together, a fastener on the end of said cord adapted to be moved to two positions in one of which it can pass through said aperture, and in the other of which it is prevented from passing through :0 said aperture, and thus holds said members together, .an means in-the other of said membore for positively adjusting the length of said cord, without changing the position of said fastener, in combination. with correspondingly-apertured leaves to be held be-,25 tween said members. 9. In abinder the combination with a cover, of means for adjusting the binder for varying numbers of leaves, a member having a chamber in'which said means are carried, a 30 plate covering said chamber, and a'flexible book-cover attached between said chambered member and said plate. In witness whereof we have hereunto signed our names in the presence of two subscribing 3 5 witnesses.

WILMUTH E. BLACKBURN. GEORGE H. SWARTWOUT.

Witnesses:

FRED WHITE, THEO. T. SNELL. 

